adminPaul Mundandi in Zvishavane
FC Platinum coach Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa has praised his charges for winning the CG Msipa Scholarship Trust and reckoned that the performance they showed would stand them in good stead to gun for the Premiership title.
Mutasa has so far expressed satisfaction with the platinum miners’ build-up to the 2014 season with the former Warriors assistant coach also bringing in some new players such as defender Gift Bello who arrived from Dynamos.
The FC Platinum coach now wants his players to maintain consistency ahead of the new season at the end of this month.
“The sky is the limit for the boys and I am happy that we won our semi-final and the final convincingly. There is competition for places in the team and my players are not guaranteed permanent places.
“It does not matter that it was a four-team tournament, it could have been an eight team or 16-team tournament but the important thing is we won and it is a step in the right direction,’’ Mutasa said.
It was the first medal that Mutasa had won with the platinum miners and he will probably remember the 2-0 win over Chapungu at Mandava for that.
What probably made victory in the tournament sweeter for FC Platinum was the fact that they had accounted for neighbours Shabanie Mine who they thumped 4-1 in the semi-final for their biggest win over their bitter rivals since 2003.
On the same day that Platinum were thumping Shabanie Mine, Chapungu ousted favourites Highlanders.
For FC Platinum, Marshall Mudehwe who arrived in the mining town and was struggling to score emerged the top goal scorer having scored a brace against Shabanie and another double in the final against Chapungu.
Former Shabanie striker Tarisai Rukanda was also on target against his former team but chose not to celebrate when he struck.
Newboy Njabulo Ncube was also causing problems for both the Shabanie and Chapungu defenders, giving the FC Platinum family reason to believe that he may be a worthy acquisition.
Platinum have since 2011 tried to win the championship but failed in the run
Mutasa is hoping to end those near misses this season and that probably explains why he is blending youth and experience and he now has such players like Gift Bello, James Marufu, Livingstone Gent, Godfrey Chisango, Walter Musona, Aaron Katebe, Thabani Kamusoko, Wisdom Mutasa among others.
Online Reporter